Medical Imaging System Positioning Error Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional medical imaging systems waste time and increase patient burden by determining correct positioning after patient setup, often leading to erroneous positioning when the imaging direction differs from the standard protocol.

Innovation Solution

A medical imaging system that acquires imaging order information, determines if it satisfies predetermined conditions, and outputs imaging support information before patient positioning to alert users of non-standard imaging directions, reducing errors and improving efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If positioning verification is performed after patient setup, then positioning accuracy is improved, but time consumption and patient burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of imaging order information before patient positioning begins. The imaging control apparatus checks whether the imaging direction in the order information matches the protocol requirement, and provides guidance to the operator before positioning is executed, preventing erroneous positioning from occurring in the first place.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If imaging direction verification is performed before positioning, then positioning errors are reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning error reductionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The imaging control apparatus provides feedback to the operator when the imaging direction in the order information does not match the protocol requirement. The system compares the imaging direction with protocol specifications and outputs guidance information to correct potential positioning errors, creating a closed-loop verification system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If automated imaging direction checking is implemented, then positioning accuracy is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging direction accuracyVSAvoidprocessing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automated checking of imaging direction against protocol requirements as a preliminary step before positioning begins. This early verification prevents the need for time-consuming repositioning later, as the check is performed quickly using pre-stored protocol information and simple comparison logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250009323A1Medical imaging system, imaging control apparatus, medical imaging method, and recording medium

Publication Date: 2025.01.09 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

A medical imaging system includes a hardware processor that acquires imaging order information including information on positioning, determines whether the acquired imaging order information satisfies predetermined conditions, and outputs imaging support information before start of the positioning when the imaging order information satisfies the predetermined conditions. In one embodiment, the imaging order information includes information on an imaging direction of an imaging site.